Whether you have a child who's entering a school environment for the first time or you have a seasoned preschooler or older child, the elementary school experience can be daunting for both child and parents. Here's a grade-by-grade guide to what elementary school has in store for kids. Before school gets started, get your child excited about going by visiting the school, meeting the teacher and reading stories about school experiences. Shop together for the supplies your child will need. Put on a brave face and make your goodbyes happy and upbeat as you leave your child for the first time. In kindergarten, it's all about learning how to behave in school - standing in line, learning to be quiet at appropriate times and putting things in their appropriate places. But they'll also learn about letters, sounds and simple math concepts. As they move into first grade, reading, numbers and writing take precedence, and your child might bring home a little homework each night. The social structure changes, and your child will likely work at a desk alone instead of sitting in a circle with other children. In second grade, reading and particularly spelling are emphasized, and math becomes more complex.